I have to start over now; face the world alone again. I have to make one final choice: give up or go on.
So I get to my feet.
— Chapter 2

“If you’d seen the devastation the way that I did, you wouldn’t be saying such things. Hope will break your heart all over again.”
— Chapter 3

Let me get this out of the way first: I want these covers in high resolution poster size. I’d probably start to feel watched pretty soon, but I think they are amazing. I don’t necessarily think that they’re the perfect match for the story but they definitely animate you to pick up the book. Mission accomplished.
Now the book. I always need a few pages to get used to Juliette’s narrative voice, even if I only stop reading in between chapters ... which is one of the reasons that I finish these books in only a few sittings (the other is that it is a very compelling read that has you glued to the book). The narration is very stream of consciousness like or at least with very little filter. I haven’t yet come across crossed out parts, which were very prominent in the first book, but less so as the story progressed.
At the moment it’s all very angst-y and potentially involves a triangular shape thing, because I know more than the characters due to the novellas. (Side note: I’m not sure how I feel about this novellas to provide information pertinent to the main plot thing. On the one hand the more to read the better but on the other hand it seems to become a common/expected feature ... and it clearly favours the eReading community). These novellas also shed different light on characters and make you feel decidedly different about them. The reading experience is a completely different one if your sympathies are so severely influenced. I can say this quite confidently because I’m trying to reason the merits of a certain character with someone who hasn’t read the additional stories. It’s quite interesting, but at the moment also very frustrating for both of us.

What are your thoughts on eNovellas and the novella trend in general? Sound off in the comments and share your teasers along with your opinion.

“Well, I’m already hoping there could be a dinner where you don’t try to stab me with your fork,” he said.
“You might need to make your peace with disappointment.”
— Chapter 5

Then I let go and forced a smile. “I wasn’t born to be saved.”
— Chapter 10

Usually, fairy tales are a Christmas thing, but why not Beauty and the Beast for Easter? The cover alone is all sorts of clever and interesting. Yes, it’s a rose, but what resonates inside the book are the stairs and the red dress ... well and the thorny and deceiving qualities of the flower.
Stopping short of letting this become an image analysis (really not my area of expertise) this story has some fun dialogue between a not-so-pure-at-heart Beauty and her not-quite-so-beastly Beast. Very clever to mark the Beast primarily by his character and not to much his appearance. And of course the influences of Greek and Roman mythology and several nods to T.S. Elliot had me smiling several times (and guessing in the slightly wrong direction in the beginning). The end was a bit too quick and clean for me compared to the more fleshed out beginning.
Nevertheless, this is a fun field day for hunters of intertextual connections as well as it is an entertaining read if you are looking for an innocent and pretty love story with some bumps along the way.

How did you spend the Easter Weekend? I consumed way too many chocolate eggs and quite a few pages. Let’s hear from you in comments.

She chewed on the inside of her cheek for a minute. Then she pulled on a pair of thick gloves and grabbed the cauldron.
What did she have to lose?
— Chapter 1

“Smite that cauldron, will you? I haven’t got all day!”
— Chapter 1

Teasers from the same chapter and the first at that. I could be ashamed ... but seeing that the current alternative is either something that won’t be published until 2015 or from a Children’s Primary School Lexicon (which is astonishingly comprehensive and detailed but doesn’t make for an entertaining read) it is the book I started between coming home and food.
And I must say, after those 20 or something pages I’m already quite hooked. I don’t understand everything yet, but that seems intentional. (Also: there are end notes ... this is becoming a habit) I only know already that I want one of those flying horse-dragon-things.
Now that I have alienated enough people with weird ramblings about this book please excuse me, I’ll have to get back to the possibly smitten cauldron. As I said, it is still a bit strange. But a good strange, I think.

Let me wish you a happy Easter in advance if you celebrate ... maybe the Bunny will bring some reading material other than the chocolate wrappings. Tell me what you’re reading in the comments.

He knew the law of such things: people in brightly lit places cannot see into the dark.
— Chapter 8

“It turns out that I am a coward.”
Arin shook his head. “It’s harder to live.”
Yes. It was. Kestrel had known there would be no escape tonight, and probably not for some time to come.
— Chapter 29

It’s been a while since I had a (one-sided) discussion with a book about ending right where it does ... it went something like this:
Julika nears the end of the book, the remaining pages get fewer and fewer but the characters are not in a position Julika would want to leave them in. Last page, Julika: “No. Nonononono. Not there not now.” Book ends. “There must be pages missing. Right? Somewhere?” No further pages turn up. Julika has a mild whinge tantrum.
Thankfully, there will be more books because this is so not over! It could be and it would be heart-breaking, but if I had to, I could maybe at some point accept it. I so very much enjoyed the world Marie Rutkoski has developed and the people she placed in it. I could also have chosen to tease you with the several mentions of different kinds of smiles, which I thought were very cool and so cleverly scattered throughout the story, which adds another layer of depth and perception. Maybe it’s the former literature student talking, but these details make me appreciate a book so much more when I notice these things that speak of a carefully planned writing and thought-process.
Anyway, I so so cannot wait for the next part of this. Go and read the (sort of) prequel story,Bridge of Snow, fall in love with the writing, and then go read this book!

Do you keep an eye out for plot-devices? Do you have a book where such a thing made you appreciate the story more? Share them in comments, along with your teaser.

And so our tale begins with a sudden fall from blue skies, with screams and prayers and a camera crew bravely recording every bit of the turbulence and drama: What a lucky break for their show!
— Prologue

After I was finished with university, I promised myself something along the lines of “No more books with footnotes!” But some promises are made to be broken, because otherwise I’d have to miss out on quite a few books.
Parts of this are so absurd that they’re actually too real and at the same time hilariously funny. In a holding up a mirror and laugh before you run screaming sort of way. It’s great humour and I’m enjoying this a lot. But I’ll have to say that I first tried reading the book on my reader and on there, footnotes are a pain. That’s a problem to be solved. Until then: real books. Or the desktop app solution in this case.

Footnotes can be a topic of strong feelings – do you have any thoughts? Love them, like them, hate them? Let’s hear from you in the comments. And no, none of this is an April Fool’s ... happy April, everyone.